Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1887-04-01
AIR AND GAS.
Interesting Exhibition of New Process o
Furnishing Fuel


Furnishing Fuel.
The American Gas Light and Heat
Company have given several exhibitions
this week of the power and quality of tn
gas and heat produced by the Benninp-
hof process in their establishment at
Darby.
The first exhibition was given on Mon
day, when there were present a large
number of manufacturers and scientific
men from various points in the United
States
The company is organized for the pur-
pose of furnishing heat and light to
dwelling houses in cities and towns and in
manufacturing and other large establish
! ments wherever they may be located.
This Is to be done ON the same general
| principle as tat by which natural gas is
introduced for similar purposes aud as
! cheaply. There Is no danger, it is
claimed, and no smell incident to its
use.
The plant of the company consists of
the Newell patented gas bench which is
simple and cheap in construction and in
expensive in operation, and is not accom-
panied by expensive aajuncts. The ma
terlal furnished for combustion and light
ing consists of hydro-carbon gas mixed
with enc hundred times the quantity of
atmosphere air. The gas Is made from
crude petroleum alone with superheated
steam, which the company claims Is the
/ qulntessence of simplicity and rigidly
/ follows out the laws of nature. The com
pany also claims that their gas goes one
third further than any other coal gas and
will enrich coal and natural gas as an
lIumlnatof, and gives to the former a
very pure white and exceedingly bright
light.
The patented Bennington process for
producing both heat and light is based
upon proper mixture of oxygen and
gas through mechanical arrangements,
| by pressure, producing, it is also claimed.
perfect hameless combustion" thereby
lmpartlng oxygen as supporter of com
bustlon. The fuel requires no coal, coke
or other admixture for welding or me.
taliurgy. This process does not burn or
destroy the fibre or material, but i'm
proves the quality of iron or steel com
ing from it. No smoke.stack nor chin
ney is required, as it needs no draft
There Is no expense IN hauling material
for combustion nor for the taking away
of ashes. The cost of the furnace is but
one-seyenth that of most furnaces requir-
ed to procure and maintain an equal de-
gree of heat
Tue light produced by this company is
of two kinds-one by which platinum
wire gauze is heated to the point of in
candescence; the other is that made by
combustion, Tide burning coal gas. The
first is called the Bennington Incandes-
cent Sun Light, with which no shade or
globe is used, and which is unaffected by
wind or rain. The indirect process gives
beautiful white flame of great power
for hight. The combined air and gas for
this is conveyed through the same pipe
to produce this light and heat for dwell
ing houses.
The gas just before entering the fur
| mace receives the air, and by the patented
process is thoroughly mixed with it. 1t
Is teen lighted in the furnace by piece
of burning paper, and in very little
time there is white, fameless ball
of heat In which the iron and steel are
placed. In these exhibitions a piece of
Bessemer steel about feet long and %
by Is inch thick was thrust into the per
feet combustion" and soon heated hot
enough to be forged.
A big chunk of railroad iron four or
! five feet long was then placed into the
burning mass, the furnace poor being
| open much of the time, and was melted
in twenty minutes. Other tests were
made, tn visitors meantime watching
them very closely and asking questions
which could only be answered by those
! thoroughly familiar with the process, the
results, however, being plain to all. The
room was darked by the lowering of i'm
provised curtains and twentysix of the
company's gas and atmosphere jets illu-
minated the building. These, it was
claimed, were equal to fortytive ordin
airy coal gas lights. The incandesdent
| light exhibition was also very satisfactory
| giving light similar to incandescent
electric lights.
The one great question with the indus
| trial representative was:
How cheap is either process if placed
into our establishments for practical
purposes?'
This the company answered in practi-
cal manner by saying they would furnish
it on such conditions as would be entirely
satisfactory from both economical and
scientific mode of application, as 1t
has demonstrated by its two years of
successful operation with natural gas.